Improvement in ambulances



B. HOWARD.

Ambulance.

Patented June 1865.

I I lo I -Y Witnesses UNITED STATES Erice.

PATENT BENJN. HOWARD, on NEW YonK, N. Y.

BMPROVMENT 4IN AM BULANCES.`

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. $8,404., dated June 27,1865.

. Improvement on Ambulances; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear,

' and exact description of the construction and `and springs; Fig. F, aplane view of the frame with lateral springs, showing seats in positionon one side and the sliding bed in position on the other; Fig. G, aperspective view of water-tank; Figs. K and L, the rack and clasp forholding stretchers fixed on the side of the ambulance.

In the body of an ordinary ambulance or vehicle I-place a wooden frameparallel with the iloor of the ambulance, occupying Vits entire length,but its width being less by about two inches than that of the inside ofthe body of Vthe vehicle, leaving an interspace of about one inchbetween it andthe frame on either side, as lrepresented in Fig. F, 10being the inner line of the body of the ambulance, g the wooden frame, pthe interspace between the frame and the body. The center longitudinalpiece has a rabbet on both sides corresponding to the rabbet m in Fig.D. Along these rabbets beds or litters slide on the rollers, Fig. F, 9,clearing the cushions of the transverse seats, Fig. 8. i

Fig. D, la shows the bed on theinside of the frame, into which the seatsare let, and then closed over, if desired, by a cleat which forms acontinuation of the rabbet along which the beds or litters" slide 5 Fig.D, k, bed cut out of inside of frame', in which the axis of woodenrollers F, 9, revolve.

The beds or litters are .constructed of wood in single panel, of whichan under view is seen at Fig. A l, the stile and rail; 2, the panel 5 3,leather handle for convenience in pulling the bed out of the ambulance.

To enable the beds to be carried as a litter more conveniently intransferring wounded, I

use ironhandles, which, when the litter is in the ambulance, do notproject in any way from the plane of the wooden structure of the litter,as seen at55g, A, and in Fig. G, but which, when required for use, canbe slid out through the jaws ot'iron clamps, which retain theminposition, as seen at A, 6. Fig. B is an upper view of wooden part of bedor litter, half of which is covered by hair-cushionin the drawings, Fig.B. Fig. 4 is'an iron bar, attached simply to increase strength oflitter, which is made as thin and light as Vis consistent with necessarystrength.

The seats consist of a plain board, covered with cushions, which t intothe beds or rabbets at D, l1., and are either fastened permanently by acleat forming a continuation of rabbet along which the litters slide,or, in absence ot" these, they may `remain movable.

The frame on which the litters and seats rest is supported by four ironstanchionsrf of a height most convenient for the sitting passengers, asat Fig. D, or, for the prevention of jaring motion, the stanchions reston semi-elliptical steel springs, Fig. D, p, the ends of. which playupon iron plates tixed to the oor of the vehicle, Fig. D, c. To preventthe transmission to the litters or seats of any jar comf municatedto theloor ot' the vehicle, these semi-elliptical steel sprin gs are preventedfrom upward motion by astaple, Fig. D,'r, so that the springs arecapable only of acounterpoise motion downward, which, when violent, isreceived by a block of' india-rubber, Fig. D, c. A similarsemi-elliptical steel spring is also attached to the body of thevehicle, Fig. F, l0, occupying the interspace between the inside of thebody of the vehicle and the frame on whichl the seats and litters rest.rlhe ends of these springs play upon iron plates fastened on the outerside of the frame, as seen at Fig. E, a, and Fig. F, a.. When thelateral motion is very violent the force is received by blocks ofindia-rubber fastened upon the frame occupyingthe een ter of the arc ofthe lateral spring, as seen at Fig. E, b, and Fig. F, b. By thus usingthese counterpoise-springs the jar both from perpendicular and lateralmotions is greatly diminished.

W'hen the litters are not in use they are slid into a compartmentbeneath the oor of the vehicle, Fig. H, r, on steel rollers let into thefloor of compartment, Fig. H, s. Thus, beside the room on the driversseat, the ambulance provides for (6) six persons seated7 or for (3)three persons seated and one lying, or for (2) two lying down.

1 have also introduced 'a new method of fastening a stretcher to theoutside of the side of the ambulance. An iron rack7 Fig. K, receives thehandle of the stretcher at one end of the ambulance, the other cud ofthehandle being received by an iron clasp, Fig. L, at the other, Which, bymeans of graduatedA holes in the male portion of the clasp and the useof an iron pin, it is made to grasp tightly the various-sized handles,as at Fig. H, 9, preventing motion and rattling during progression ofthe vehicle.

I have also substituted for the ordinary cash a tank for containingWater, which is rendered motionless during progression by its being soadapted to a grooved bed that it can be slid into it andl securedvloy anordinary fastening. The Water-tank is made of Wood and lined With zinc,and filled through a hole in tho upper surface. l

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The combination of transverse seats and sliding litters or beds restingon a frame placed Within the body of the vehicle, supported and balancedby counterpoise-springs within the body ofthe vehicle, together With thecompartment for the beds beneath the main floor of the body of thevehicle, in which the litters or beds may be placed for convenience whennot in use7 as in the manner described above.

BENJAMIN HOWARD.

Witnesses:

CHARLES W. SY, ROMEYN SMITH.

